Help with building a dishwasher frame/support for granite installation

Question

The granite guy told me I need to build a frame or support because the refrigerator is next to the dishwasher and not a cabinet. What is the best way to do this without compromising space?

Answer 1

Don't do it yourself unless you are a gifted wood worker.

Find a handy-man who does carpentry work, get references, don't pay him everything up front, and let him show you the design.  It's simple enough for someone who knows how.  It's a potential disaster for someone who doesn't.

I am assuming the frame is a simple waist-high fixture, so it should only take inches for the frame itself.

Answer 2

You need what cabinet companies call a "dishwasher end panel" to hold up the counter there. For the weight of a granite countertop, a 3/4" thick plywood or particleboard panel would be best. It should have veneer that matches your cabinets on both sides and the front edge.

This would add 3/4" to your width dimension. Some companies make these panels 1/2" thick...3/4" is definitely better for granite.

Another option is to get two "refrigerator end panels" to build in the refrigerator with a base-depth cabinet over the top. They are made the same as the dishwasher end panel above, but as tall as the tops of your upper cabinets. With this scenario the granite installer would use steel angle brackets attached to the refrigerator end panel on the dishwasher side to hold up the countertop.

This would add 1-1/2 to 3" to your width dimension.